This is Patrik, Head of Logistics, from our partner Safety and Navigationsgruppen, who made the impossible logistic out it the archipelago, possible and surprisingly smooth!
What were your duties during the One Water Race?
I oversaw the logistics for our safety boat skippers. Making sure they got out to the right place, with the right equipment, at the right time. Since the skippers need rest to maintain safety, each team’s designated safety boat was crewed by two skippers working back-to-back in shifts, and I made sure to maintain the crew rotations. In between rotations, we resolved logistics around our media runners, photographers, and anything else that needed to be resolved at short notice.
What was the biggest challenge during the race?
Finding the balance between when to carry out crew rotations, and when to solve other logistic challenges and tasks at the same time. We found a good balance and got the job done safely.
What was the greatest experience/memory you take with you?
When the teams swam across the infamous “Danziger Gatt” in the dark. They didn’t hesitate for a second and stepped into the water after racing hard for 40 consecutive hours, very impressive! Then the atmosphere between everyone involved in the event, both competitors and volunteers. I have spent many hours boating in the dark, but seeing the Landsort lighthouse illuminated in blue is something neither I nor anyone else has seen before, it was powerful to see. I can only imagine the competitors who, from far away, could suddenly see the finish line as they were swimming through the pitch-black August night.
When the teams swam across the infamous “Danziger Gatt” in the dark. They didn’t hesitate for a second and stepped into the water after racing hard for 40 consecutive hours, very impressive!
What do you do when not being part of the OWR-organization?
I am the co-founder of Safety & Navigationsgruppen. We train private individuals and marine professionals in navigation and maritime safety. Today we train about 5000 participants annually and we have built our own state of the art training facility in Frihamnen in central Stockholm.
We train, among other things, in high-speed navigation in the archipelago, nighttime navigation in demanding conditions and maritime safety according to STCW protocol, both knowledge that comes in very handy when contributing the OWR organization. We have a background in the Swedish Navy and have a solid safety mindset mixed with a burning interest in the archipelago.
Read more about Safety & Navigationsgruppen here.
